Partnership: Smith and De Villiers ground down Pakistan
South Africa forged into a dominant position on day two of the second Test in Dubai, thanks to a record fifth-wicket stand between Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers.
Smith and de Villiers batted six hours together for an unbroken partnership of 326, comfortably passing the South African fifth-wicket record set in 2005. South Africa closed on 460 for 4, a lead on 361.
Smith was the leader of the assault on Pakistan’s bowlers, his fifth Test double century just one shy of the shared record for opening batsmen between Virender Sehwag and Marvan Atapattu. Beginning on 67, the South African captain ended the day on 227, having ground the home bowlers into submission in an innings of authoritative dominance. It was a typical Smith innings, with not a single run scored through mid off and around 40% worked between mid on and midwicket.
De Villiers’ unbeaten 157 was a chancier innings, at least in its early stages. After Mohammad Irfan castled nightwatchman Dale Steyn early on, de Villiers arrived at the crease looking to build on his outstanding home series against the same opposition earlier in the year. At 134 for 4, Pakistan will have felt they were right back in the game and when Irfan found de Villiers’ edge first ball, Pakistan fans were expectant. However, Adnan Akmal, diving low to his right, spilt the chance and de Villiers was free to go on his merry way.
Merry it was indeed for de Villiers as he cruised along to his 17th Test century. It was in the UAE in 2010 that de Villiers passed the South African individual record with his 278 not out, and although that record has since been lost to Hashim Amla’s 311, it is certainly plausible that with three days left either he or Smith could well overtake that record again.
Smith would be the favourite to pass a triple century, in such control has he been across his ten-hour marathon. Smith looked in complete superiority throughout in making his 27th Test century, and with his double century came the outstanding achievement of 9,000 Test runs. On moving past 224 Smith claimed the highest individual score of 2013, passing MS Dhoni, and with Pakistan having used up both of their reviews within the first five overs it seems it will take only a loss of concentration for this partnership to come to a close.
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